Two arrested after controlled drug buy

Constable Wallace makes arrest with help from Burnside PD, KSP

By Christopher Harris

Commonwealth Journal

Jul 5, 2019

1 of 2

Preston Ridsdale

Darlene Thomas

Two people are in jail after a controlled drug buy organized by local law enforcement operatives.

Preston T. Ridsdale, 58, of Burnside, and Darlene Marlo Thomas, 58, Burnside, were both taken into custody and lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center on charges of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense (greater than or equal to 2 grams methamphetamine), first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, fourth-degree controlled substance endangerment to child, and engaging in organized crime.

Mike Wallace, Fifth District Pulaski County Constable, said that both Ridsdale and Thomas were arrested after he served a search warrant on their home with fellow constables Gary Baldock and Shane Haste, with Kentucky State Police Troopers Adam Childress and Travis Thompson and Burnside Police Officer Matt Brown assisting.

Wallace said the controlled buy was executed Wednesday, buying 30 milligrams of the narcotic Percocet from the suspects with marked money, at about 3 p.m. Later that evening at about 9 p.m., Wallace took the search warrant to their home.

Wallace said that there at the home, he recovered over $27,000 in cash and $10,300.00 in counterfeit money, along with numerous guns bullet vest meth and over 600 30 milligrams of Percocet, which Wallace said has a street value of $30,000.

"They sell for $50 apiece on the street," he said.

The arrests were connected to another pair of arrests Wallace was involved in back in June, said the Fifth District constable. Ray Wilburn Wheet Jr., 54, and April Lynn Strunk, 38, were arrested on charges of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense. Investigation into their case allowed Wallace to link those two to Ridsdale and Thomas, he said.

"Ray had been seen for Preston for some time," said Wallace, who added that the organized crime charge arose from that connection.

"These two were major players in the drug trade in Pulaski County," said Wallace on his Facebook page. "This has been over a (three) month investigation which has lead to the arrest of four people(.)"

Wallace said the suspects are expected to be arraigned in Pulaski County District Court on Monday.

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